Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Imperial County adopts $755.8 million recommended budget; supervisors warn of federal and state funding risks
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved the fiscal year 2025–26 recommended budget, which totals $755.8 million and keeps mandatory services funded but highlights a flattening of general purpose revenue, vacant positions and large reliance on federal and state funding.
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors on June 17 accepted and approved the recommended fiscal year 2025–26 budget, a $755.8 million spending plan the county presented as balanced while flagging near-term fiscal risks from declining general-purpose revenue and heavy reliance on federal and state funds.
Deputy CEO for budget and finance Myra Whitman presented the recommended budget and told the board it focuses on maintaining mandated services and balancing the general fund. Whitman said federal and state funding account for roughly 63% of county revenue and that property and sales taxes comprise about 69% of general-fund receipts. The recommended plan supports 2,648 full-time positions, with 434 vacant funded positions, and proposes the elimination of five positions as part of cost adjustments.
"This recommended budget for fiscal year 2025–26 is balanced and proposes to invest $755,800,000 in programs and services," Whitman said during the presentation.
The board debated fiscal concerns at length. Supervisors emphasized two major items driving risk: the negative fund balance in the fire department and the ongoing shortfall in the Public Works solid-waste fund. Chairman John Hawk said he wanted concrete timelines and stronger near-term actions to address the problems. Several supervisors pressed for department-level audits of contracts and service agreements and for a directive to departments to identify cost savings and revenue-generation opportunities.
The presentation included several operational details: the budget assumed an additional $8 million investment in workforce costs from the prior year, allocated roughly $162.3 million to permanent salaries, nearly $5 million to overtime and about $91 million to employee benefits. The county is recommending a one-time $2.9 million transfer from available funds to cover a projected shortfall in the Office of Emergency Services/fire protection for the upcoming fiscal year.
Whitman said the recommended budget includes no new budget requests; those will be considered during the August hearings. The county plans budget hearings on Aug. 26 and final adoption on Sept. 23; the adopted budget must be submitted to the state by Dec. 1.
Board members unanimously approved the budget and two related actions: a transfer of 10% of the 1991 realignment funds for behavioral health and public health to social services, and establishing Aug. 26 as the start date for budget hearings. Votes were unanimous on each item (4-0). Motion and second for the main budget motion were Supervisor Ryan Kelly and Supervisor Peggy Price.
Supervisors also requested a list of vacant funded positions and asked departments to analyze whether long-standing vacancies remain necessary; Whitman said vacant positions are funded at 60% for budgeting purposes. Several supervisors urged immediate steps to renegotiate contracts, eliminate unused services and reexamine leases and software subscriptions.
The board accepted the recommended budget by a 4-0 vote and set the public budget hearings for Aug. 26, 2025.
